What is Diabetic Retinopathy

Wondering what is diabetic retinopathy? It happens when the retina’s blood vessels leak blood and fluid. People with type 1 or type 2 are potentially at risk for developing this condition. It’s also more likely to develop in people who have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or persistently high blood sugar. 

Causes of Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy happens when the retina’s blood vessels start to leak blood and fluid. People with type 1 or type 2 are potentially at risk for developing this condition. It’s also more likely to develop in people who have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or persistently high blood sugar. 

Diabetic Retinopathy Symptoms

In the early stages of the condition, apparent signs of diabetic retinopathy may be non-existent. However, as the disease progresses, symptoms of diabetic retinopathy can include:

• Sudden vision loss
• Blurry vision
• Eye pain
• Redness
• Shapes floating in your vision (floaters)
• Flashes of light
• Dark areas in your eyes

Diabetic Retinopathy Treatment

We use an OCT and Retinal Fundus Camera to check the effects of your diabetes on your eyes. An OCT scan and retinal photo each take around 5 minutes. Both of these scans are safe and noninvasive.

During the process, we’ll dilate your eye to better view the retina, macula, and peripheral retinal vascular structures, ensuring that vascular retinopathy is secondary to diabetic eye disease.

Patients with decreased visual acuity will have an OCT performed looking for Diabetic Macular Edema.

After your exams, we’ll analyze your results, explain them to you, and advise on any next steps in treatment. Results will be stored in your record for future comparison.

Get in Touch

If you are diabetic and live in Quincy, IL, call us at (217) 223-7834 for more information. If you want more information on our comprehensive eye exams or advanced retinal scans, please do not hesitate to contact us.